5. Survivor Melanesia - Blood vs. Water II (S33)
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I really was the crackhead that decided that each pair would have an idol between them. Man, I thought this was going to be a terrible twist, but I was completely wrong and it was amazing television. The game was electric with nearly every tribal council being some form of blindside and alliances continuously changing. I still remember the game looking grim for Patrick ( Pokepat) and Harry ( harrywasnak) yet they managed to pull themselves together and make the end. Logan ( lhooper902976) actually having a shot to get to the end if he had just saved his idol and not use it on his partner Latisha (maybe he gets a shot at the money). The real story though was Chris ( Gaiaphagee) and his ability to navigate the game and a dominant one at that. However, to be a pain against Chris he would've lost had Tashi not been medically evacuated which would've likely declared Harry the winner which would've been a big blindside. Nonetheless, really still one of my favorites.
4. Survivor China - Clash of Clans (S34)
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Honestly, the amount of shit that myself, OldNewz, and Pieguy55 received when we sprung the theme on the castaways was ridiculous. There were individuals who wanted to quit, others refusing to play, and simply just a whole bunch of nonsense. Yet, this season still goes down in the books as one of my favorite seasons solely because it really was Ben vs. Newz with the superior host coming on top (me). Ray ( GentlemanG) goes on to be the first two-time winner in both series playing a pretty dominant game along with other fan favorites Dana ( TotsTrashy) and Jojo (@jojo7787). Dylan ( DBWs) was there but he was on vacation and can't recall a damn thing from him but he nearly won and Adrianna ( Saftronbtr999) is always fun. We can also recall the good moments like Eric ( awwsum11) not having a vote the entire season despite having a tool chest of advantages and Newz's Outcasts just continuously flopping during the premerge. Overall, love the season fun game, good twists, but it's not #1.
3. Survivor Maldives (S15)
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This season actually consisted of a public vote consisting of returnees, one-time players, and newbies. Maldives what was originally going to be my actual last season is at #3 in my season ranking. I do respect the classics and this was one of them. This was truly Newz (OldNewz) finally getting the job done on the third attempt similar to how I was in his series and really just dominating with an all-around game. However, he did have a thorn in his side with Alex ( ghrocky100) continuing to go to bat for LeQuisha ( LusciousLips5) who was arguably his biggest nemesis and probably the second best player on the season. Outside of that, the merge was great with one day tribes and some big moves against Ethan ( thewinner), Mike ( Pieguy555), and Scott ( Fobbyiyg) just being well Fobby G. The premerge also was very unexpected with numerous big moves against players like Jera and Sagar former winners in the series. Overall, Maldives has always been top of mind and rightfully so for several amazing reasons.
2. Survivor Macedonia (S19)
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If I were to compare Survivor Macedonia to any season it would be Survivor Cagayan. Dylan ( DBWs) was essentially the messier version of Tony Vlachos flipping side-to-side every round forcing rocks till he eventually got himself in trouble. Sadly, the fan-favorite alliance of Rob ( robulusjgreisonne), Leo ( yinzer149), Dexter (#Frozen)/Dana ( TotsTrashy), and Magnus ( magge555550101) didn't prevail. However, Dylan once noted as the biggest flipper became the biggest hero in the end. It was Cagayan-esque as alliances were at each other's throats the entire game where nobody liked anyone and it was simply a matter of who would win out in the game It was also just one of those seasons where everyone on the cast had a character arc and there wasn't anyone who was simply filler even Ryan ( KidA) the first boot was great! Also, the final two were great between Dylan and Ryan as it was a fitting 5-4 jury vote. I always knew this season was in the top two for me it was just a matter would it be #1.
1. Survivor Caribbean - Last Chances (S39)
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We finally hit #1 in the rankings! On a season that consisted of 32 players, there were zero duds to my memory. This season was hyped to really be the last hurrah before all winners and man this delivered on every note. Ghost Island was an excellent twist bringing back some of the most memorable moments like missed advantages, idols, and even a jury speech back from Fobbyiyg from Survivor Nepal to eliminate a jury member. Arguably, one of the biggest blunders happened in this game which consisted of Andrew ( DallasAndrew) self-voting at the Final 31 giving Christian ( Christian_) a chance to move forward in the game and eventually become the winner by winning out and fulfilling his story arc. Erik ( YoundAndReckless) and Ethan ( Brittney) really were the dominating strategic forces from start to finish but their one mistake will always be Christian. Barbra (#BarbraStreisand) will be remembered as one of the most self-interested villains of all time where the hatred was crazy for them. There were several rock draws, idol players, character moments, 32 different character arcs, and blunders (primarily Livingston at the Final 8) making this the #1 season in my ranking though it was a very close ranking between the top five. Congrats as the ranking is officially over :-)
Current Rankings
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1. Survivor: Caribbean - Last Chances (S39)
2. Survivor: Macedonia (S19)
3. Survivor: Maldives (S15)
4. Survivor: China - Clash of Clans (S34)
5. Survivor: Melensia - Blood vs. Water II (S33)
6. Survivor: Philippines - All Stars III (S46)
7. Survivor: Rome - Old School vs. New School (S41)
8. Survivor: Laos (S43)
9. Survivor: Tuvalu - Heroes vs. Villains (S23)
10. Survivor: England - Second Chances (S13)
11. Survivor: Philippines - All-Stars I (S6)
12. Survivor: Japan (S45)
13. Survivor: Nepal (S3)
14. Survivor: Iran - Favorites vs. Failures (S18)
15. Survivor: Barbados - Battle of Generations (S9)
16. Survivor: Saint Lucia - Blood vs. Water (S11)
17. Survivor: India (S5)
18. Survivor: Bali - Hosts vs. Almosts (S20)
19. Survivor: Indonesia - Exile Island (S14)
20. Survivor: Estonia - Unfinished Business (S37)
21. Survivor: Philippines - All-Stars II (S31)
22. Survivor: Mozambique (S24)
23. Survivor: Norway (S48)
24. Survivor: Jamaica (S26)
25. Survivor Singapore - All Winners (S40)
26. Survivor: Vanuatu - Viewer's Choice (S32)
27. Survivor: Hawaii (S1)
28. Survivor: Iceland (S2)
29: Survivor: Mongolia (S28)
30. Survivor: Greece (S21)
31. Survivor: Madagascar - Fans vs. Failures (S36)
32. Survivor: The Canadian Wilderness (S17)
33. Survivor: Paraguay (S27)
34: Survivor: Nigeria (S22)
35. Survivor: Thailand (S10)
36. Survivor: Cyprus - Dynamic Duos (S47)
37. Survivor: Suriname (S44)
38. Survivor: Azores (S42)
39. Survivor: Kadavu (S49)
40. Survivor: Sri Lanka (S12)
41. Survivor: Myanmar (S7)
42. Survivor: Palau (S8)
43. Survivor: Nicaragua (S29)
44. Survivor: Peru (S16)
45. Survivor: Jordan (S4)
46. Survivor: Israel (S38)
47. Survivor: Comoros (S25)
48. Survivor: South Africa (S30)
49. Survivor: Vietnam (S35)
10. Survivor England - Second Chances (S13)
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Survivor England - Second Chances will arguably be one of the most impactful seasons in series history. I believe this is the only returnee season where a hidden immunity idol wasn't played and with such a heavy-hitting cast it was shocking. I can still recall the rock draw at the Final 10 where Christian (@Christian_) and Natasha ( Blondelle) had hidden immunity idols in their pocket but decided to go willingly to rocks (rip Christian). Brandon ( brandonrichie) and Qaz ( Qazwdxedc) ran a majority of the season (yet again) but not without a few bumps in the road. Overall, this is one of the few casts where I can safely say everyone that returned was very deserving of a second chance and had their own little story arc. In the end, it was Tico ( ticofernandez) who was the underdog in Palau turned villain who sweeps the jury votes against Dan (#TheDirtyBrock) and Shadi ( Chastain). The final three also consisted of one member from each original tribe so that was also cool along with Ivy ( _ivyyy_445) and Natasha (Blondelle) becoming co-fan favorites by the OG Viewer's Lounge.
9. Survivor Tuvalu - Heroes vs. Villains (S23)
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I think every host should love a good HvV season. It allows players to really embrace their archetype without having to worry about the potential stereotypes that come with them as a player. When I read back on this season the word that will continually be brought back to mind is the word "Brovivor" after the alliance of Christian (@Christian_), Newz ( OldNewz), Scott ( byp123) really sort of dominated the game once the numbers wore down (and maybe I'm not recalling the game right). However, I do remember some of the key moments of the end game where Dylan ( DBWs) idoled out and split up the duo of Christian and Ivy with his allies. LeQuisha ( LusciousLips5) made a relatively big mistake not voting with Dylan and Jimbo ( sahmosean) against the "Brovivor" alliance to force rocks as they were a very apparent final three. In actuality, all the entertainers were knocked out early like Watermelondrea ( TheEclipse) and Ken ( konohavillage1) allowing the opposing alliance to prosper. I can't recall the premerge too well but I think if I were to do anything it would not be having four tribes and just allowing HvV to play out as normal because the cast was already stacked (waits for Newz to complain). Scott's speech also warmed the hearts of the viewer's and rip Jimbo putting up a good fight and was one challenge away from probably winning.
8. Survivor Laos (S43)
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Survivor Laos is one of the few seasons where the game never stopped moving. From Sagar ( obscurity) drawing the Purple Rock in the first episode to Chandler ( Chandelier) eventually winning the game, it was a non-stop roller coaster. It was also one of those few seasons where your winner picks changed from episode to episode. There were also so many great newcomers to the series like Chandler, Niko ( nhulse19), Ellie ( Idols), and Mike ( ForceMike1) who all turned out to be impactful players. The twist this season also featured an "Outcast" based tribe which I didn't think would matter much but it turns out it had a huge role in the story arc (particularly for James ( jamessmith5). The season also really captured some egotistical moments as well where Daniel ( DanielzSnooz) thought it was impossible Ryan (#Iceey) didn't have an idol despite his alliance members telling him which led to him leaving (5(0)-1). Overall, it's one of my favorite newbie season's and doesn't have really a dull moment but there are just a couple season's that I personally just rank higher in my book.
7. Survivor Rome - Old School vs. New School (S41)
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The series that once was predicted as dead... becomes revived due to COVID times. I just really enjoy this season as the "Old School" tribe really got so much screen time (primarily the "Black Widow Brigade). One major highlight was from Natasha ( Blondelle) being rocked out in the premerge to reentering the game and becoming the eventual winner in a 5-4-1 vote. Dono (@donosarus_rex) and Cameron ( DrPepsi) somehow become the minority duo that makes it very far in the game after being on the ropes from the jump. Old School was definitely the tribe to watch. The "New School" side of things wasn't as entertaining but players like Jimmy ( BBlover95) really was a strategic force of nature along with Michele ( MichelleFitzgerald) and James (J2999) was a physical beast a majority of the way. We can also reflect upon the three stooges of Tina (purplebb4), Hufus (Hufus), and Silver (Silver09). I think this season remains high in my books due to the necessity of some entertainment in our lives and just being overall a really great season where did it actually feel Old School vs. New School was a thing.
6. Survivor Philippines - All Stars III (S46)
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Call it recency bias, but the third-generation All-Stars III is my favorite of the All-Star seasons. This season comes right after the historic CBS All-Winners season which consisted of fire tokens and numerous advantages. Naturally, I decided to adapt this concept to this season, and man it was awesome! I believe nearly every advantage was used correctly and there was so much negotiating for people to give up their tokens so they can snag advantages before other individuals in opposing alliances. I don't think there was a true miss on this cast but I can go briefly into how Jimmy (BB5lover) managed to avoid so much adversity early on and become a powerhouse, James (J2999) played a strong game and we had our duos of Hufus (Hufus) & Chandler (Chandelier) and Kellen ( Kennel123) and Tyler ( jungleman111) who made memorable impacts. The list can really go on but everything was super exciting and while the OGs might be upset if you read back on the season there wasn't a true Ruben Colon on the cast.
Current Rankings
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6. Survivor: Philippines - All Stars III (S46)
7. Survivor: Rome - Old School vs. New School (S41)
8. Survivor: Laos (S43)
9. Survivor: Tuvalu - Heroes vs. Villains (S23)
10. Survivor: England - Second Chances (S13)
11. Survivor: Philippines - All-Stars I (S6)
12. Survivor: Japan (S45)
13. Survivor: Nepal (S3)
14. Survivor: Iran - Favorites vs. Failures (S18)
15. Survivor: Barbados - Battle of Generations (S9)
16. Survivor: Saint Lucia - Blood vs. Water (S11)
17. Survivor: India (S5)
18. Survivor: Bali - Hosts vs. Almosts (S20)
19. Survivor: Indonesia - Exile Island (S14)
20. Survivor: Estonia - Unfinished Business (S37)
21. Survivor: Philippines - All-Stars II (S31)
22. Survivor: Mozambique (S24)
23. Survivor: Norway (S48)
24. Survivor: Jamaica (S26)
25. Survivor Singapore - All Winners (S40)
26. Survivor: Vanuatu - Viewer's Choice (S32)
27. Survivor: Hawaii (S1)
28. Survivor: Iceland (S2)
29: Survivor: Mongolia (S28)
30. Survivor: Greece (S21)
31. Survivor: Madagascar - Fans vs. Failures (S36)
32. Survivor: The Canadian Wilderness (S17)
33. Survivor: Paraguay (S27)
34: Survivor: Nigeria (S22)
35. Survivor: Thailand (S10)
36. Survivor: Cyprus - Dynamic Duos (S47)
37. Survivor: Suriname (S44)
38. Survivor: Azores (S42)
39. Survivor: Kadavu (S49)
40. Survivor: Sri Lanka (S12)
41. Survivor: Myanmar (S7)
42. Survivor: Palau (S8)
43. Survivor: Nicaragua (S29)
44. Survivor: Peru (S16)
45. Survivor: Jordan (S4)
46. Survivor: Israel (S38)
47. Survivor: Comoros (S25)
48. Survivor: South Africa (S30)
49. Survivor: Vietnam (S35)
14. Survivor Iran - Favorites vs. Failures (S18)
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As we approach the home stretch of these rankings it becomes challenging which season's will be left out of my top ten. Iran is just one of those incredible seasons that just ended up missing the cut. This season was fantastic from start to finish with plenty of drama, good television, and really fantastic gameplay. One of the most memorable moments that will go down as a top ten funniest moment is Noah ( noah_kondon)'s mom taking away his computer during an endurance chance that would've likely guaranteed reentry into the game with two idols he was previously voted out with. However, Max ( Novamax243) prevailed and ends up having a defining hero arc making it to the end. Max and Noah were voted out somewhat unfairly but they'll arguably be remembered as the X-factors of the premerge. Eric ( EM002) operated throughout the game extremely well which caught me off guard as he has been involved primarily in the scene but seemingly was able to socially maneuver between alliances effectively and is likely a winner who deserves more credit. Outside of that, the drama between Loop (#Loopsspeare) and Kelly ( Kelly0412) was a bit OTTN and not necessarily the most fun of conversations. Outside of that, I think a lot of players rose to the occasion like Romeo (#BritishRomeo) and Daniel ( DanielzSnooz) as the last favorites standing made it to the Final Five along with Adrianna ( Saftronbtr999) as a subtle dark horse. Fun season! Good cast! Just not in my top ten, unfortunately.
13. Survivor Nepal (S3)
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I think Survivor Nepal was genuinely the kickstart season of what made me want to continue hosting all these years later. Typically, I believe an unknown series without credibility is doomed to fall apart unless they have that one particular season that sets the pace and that was Nepal for me. The cast was fantastic consisting of individuals from the after mention Wangifold Survivor Series hosted by the great wangifold along with other well-known players like Stoner ( Gaiaphagee), Ashanti ( KingGeek), Shawn ( SuitMan13), Scott ( Fobbyiyg), and last but not least... the great Mikey2015... I mean Carl (@Cmack11). If I'm to remember anything about this season it's three things. First, Scott dropped the bomb at Final Tribal Council where he would've won had he not posted a horrendous speech leading to Brandan ( Maladus1) winning the game. Second, Chris ( Carraid73) who was public enemy #1 made it extremely deep and is an unappreciated strategic mind. Finally, Stoner (Gaiaphagee) was a bit too cocky for my liking. However, the unappreciated duo of Ashanti and Brandan receive my recognition for a job well done along with Carl who was the underdog of the season. This season has always been a fun read :)
12. Survivor Japan (S45)
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Honestly, I'm shocked that the third generation produced arguably the best sixteen-person season of all-time in the series (sorry India). I loved the cast, great twist (Samurai Curse), great gameplay, and most of all an amazing winner in Kellen ( Kennel123). Kellen played a really flawless game all-around and the one move he'll forever be recognized for is his move at the Final Four. He was not immune and should've easily been the boot or should've been in fire-making but convinces Juan ( Molecule) to vote Washed ( Washed_Ravioli) essentially throwing his vote with Kellen and Washed voting Juan. Was this a huge blunder on Juan? Absolutely, however, Kellen was spectacular in this conversation watching live and I think if Kellen does get voted out then I think we see Ashanti (KingGeek) the winner (maybe Washed though). The Ashanti was robbed posts were crazy as fuck during the live vote reveal. Outside of that, I had a lot of favorites from this cast who had entered the series much earlier like Nathan ( nmh95), Arek ( Arris), Tyler ( jungleman111), and Sam ( s73100). The "Samurai Curse" also really forced alliances to shift constantly based on safety being given out by the eliminated player so it was interesting to watch dynamics change. Good work Japan!
11. Survivor Philipinnes - All Stars I (S6)
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This is no disrespect to the original All-Stars as I respect the classics. However, if I'm looking at this objectively compared to the remaining seasons it's the weakest in my eyes. There were a lot of great moments though where we saw three idols get correctly played in a row by Michael ( Michael31), Newz ( OldNewz), and Rhys ( AndThenThereWasOne) and eliminating Stoner (Gaiaphagee)'s cult members one by one in dramatic fashion (this was not rigged it was Stoner being a flop). The flag challenge where Joe ( jharrin7887) quits due to what he believed was an unfair ruling and his tribe supporting his actions of leaving which was something new. Outside of that, who expected FireDragon (#AlaskanFireDragon) to take home the win against Michael ( Michael31) who had played from the bottom but likely shot himself in the foot eliminating his two closest allies in Newz and Rhys. Eric ( awwsum11) receiving third place for the second time in a row and likely wins against anyone cements himself as one of the best to never win to this day. The only dull moment was Cole ( Cole91) not picking up a Skype call in regards to his butt getting saved the night he left but decided his shift at Buffalo Wild Wings was more important. The tribe names were weird too like Wyatt's Warriors and Nathan's Notorious was also weird since the Brovivor chat did a draft and well it was funky, to say the least.
Current Rankings
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11. Survivor: Philippines - All-Stars I (S6)
12. Survivor: Japan (S45)
13. Survivor: Nepal (S3)
14. Survivor: Iran - Favorites vs. Failures (S18)
15. Survivor: Barbados - Battle of Generations (S9)
16. Survivor: Saint Lucia - Blood vs. Water (S11)
17. Survivor: India (S5)
18. Survivor: Bali - Hosts vs. Almosts (S20)
19. Survivor: Indonesia - Exile Island (S14)
20. Survivor: Estonia - Unfinished Business (S37)
21. Survivor: Philippines - All-Stars II (S31)
22. Survivor: Mozambique (S24)
23. Survivor: Norway (S48)
24. Survivor: Jamaica (S26)
25. Survivor Singapore - All Winners (S40)
26. Survivor: Vanuatu - Viewer's Choice (S32)
27. Survivor: Hawaii (S1)
28. Survivor: Iceland (S2)
29: Survivor: Mongolia (S28)
30. Survivor: Greece (S21)
31. Survivor: Madagascar - Fans vs. Failures (S36)
32. Survivor: The Canadian Wilderness (S17)
33. Survivor: Paraguay (S27)
34: Survivor: Nigeria (S22)
35. Survivor: Thailand (S10)
36. Survivor: Cyprus - Dynamic Duos (S47)
37. Survivor: Suriname (S44)
38. Survivor: Azores (S42)
39. Survivor: Kadavu (S49)
40. Survivor: Sri Lanka (S12)
41. Survivor: Myanmar (S7)
42. Survivor: Palau (S8)
43. Survivor: Nicaragua (S29)
44. Survivor: Peru (S16)
45. Survivor: Jordan (S4)
46. Survivor: Israel (S38)
47. Survivor: Comoros (S25)
48. Survivor: South Africa (S30)
49. Survivor: Vietnam (S35)
19. Survivor Indonesia - Exile Island (S14)
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Honestly, I think this is probably a really generous ranking for a season that still somewhat underperformed my expectations. However, I reflect back upon this season and I'm like it was still a very enjoyable experience as a host coming off a second chances season with a completely new cast of individuals who were relatively new to the group game scene. Mike ( Pieguy555) really was on a mission finding all the idols and winning nearly all the immunity challenges securing himself at the end and walked away with the million dollars despite nearly losing on bad jury management (to memory). Also, this merge was really epic with players making debuts like LeQuisha ( LusciousLips5), Cedric ( teamjacz), and Logan (#LoganWorm). Great merge with great players! The downside to this season is probably the first six eliminations being somewhat meh but "Exile Island" was a really nice twist. Also, Maddie ( omggiraffe) was robbed of nearly surviving Mike's idol plays was kinda of cringe as a viewer/host.
18. Survivor Bali - Hosts vs. Almosts (S20)
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The conceptual idea behind this season was originally created by the great bingo21 called Hosts vs. Toasts which implied Hosts vs. Celebrities on Tengaged (Stars Players). However, I decided to take a different stance in allowing the Almosts to play which was allowing a select amount of individuals who made the finale night on the season. I won't lie the Hosts were a lot harder to cast as there were memorable flops like Shawn ( SuitMan13) who just wanted to be left alone in his corner. However, they did rise to the occasion where Benjamin X. ( BENLINUS) wins the season despite being in a rough position most of the game against second-time runner-ups in Daniel ( DanielzSnooz) and Rich ( Zed55). Honestly, Kenneth ( konohavillage1) had a legitimate chance to win the game but it all came down to final immunity where he squared off in an intense endurance challenge and lost. Outside of that, I really just enjoyed the people on this cast and watching players like Ivy ( _ivyyy_445) going from beloved hero to villain to the point people wanted to get her out for spite was funny. Also, I can't truly recall if the season really turned into Hosts vs. Almosts as I assume it was pretty muddled. Also, Stoner ( Gaiaphagee) thought he was robbed but he left his immunity idol in a crockpot this season and Will was looking prime for a run till idoled out.
17. Survivor India (S5)
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In the distance, Newz ( OldNewz) is probably complaining that this season should be higher and maybe it should be but I think this is a good landing spot. Survivor India will always be in my eyes one of the best all-newbie seasons in franchise history. It's primarily because one individual did not completely steal the show the entire season. For instance, the first part of the premerge was the Pawra tribe questioning Felix (CharlieBibi)'s antics when he was honestly playing really relaxed and not drawing attention to himself, and JJ ( JJCanada) flopped horribly playing the middle. However, on the other side of things Vasava was like a well-oiled machine under Ethan ( thewinner) being a steady captain. The merge hits on all notes especially with Newz ( OldNewz) having the ability to save Ryan ( wangifold) but selfishly keeps the idol in his pocket and he leaves 4-3-2 is one of my favorite moments in the series (#Luckybucket/#Dryerfish being mad was funny). Rich ( Zed55)'s transition from the bottom to the top of the tribe also was a great story despite not winning the game over his partner in crime Joe (jharrin7887). Overall, I'll forever love this season and while it's not at the top it always seems to be a good watch.
16. Survivor Saint Lucia - Blood vs. Water (S11)
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Honestly, I think after ranking India this season would fall in immediate succession. Blood vs. Water was the second season in series history to feature returning players and man this season hits on all notes. The underdog duo of Sagar ( obscurity) and Ken ( konohavillage1) finding every hidden immunity idol up until the final five essentially hacking the game was crazy and didn't think it would actually happen. Other stuff, I enjoyed was seeing arguably the least well-known duo in Andy and Dawson essentially become fan favorites winning over the viewers with their in-depth confessionals and unique humor. Sydney ( Guigi) actually played somewhat of a game that was redeemable and this led to them earning their actual stripes in the series after falling off in Palau. Outside of that, I do have to thank Cameron for bringing Ken and Stoner for bringing Christian ( Christian_) as the franchise isn't the same without them nor are the new idol rules. The worst part of this season as noted in this part of the rankings are the early boots being predictable.
15. Survivor Barbados - Battle of Generations (S9)
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In the words of Scott ( Fobbyiyg), this was a shit concept with a bad theme dividing the players into eras based on when they joined Tengaged. However, while the theme was irrelevant a lot was produced from this season. The Brereton tribe was an absolute disaster as only Joel ( JoelW55) and Hudson ( rapidsmartypants) were the only survivors come the merge and despite that adversity made it to the end with Joel winning the game. However, this season was primarily a favorite for the audience for its everlasting characters like Ivy (_ivyyy_445), Watermelondrea ( TheEclipse), and Joe ( JoeDaManXD). Honestly, I can't really articulate what happened this season but there was a decent amount of flipping despite the vote totals presented and the cast as a whole was just extremely likable. I really wouldn't change much other than if Ivy had ended up winning the game this season is likely a bit higher but doesn't crack the top ten. This was also one of the very few season's that featured an After Show.
Current Rankings
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15. Survivor: Barbados - Battle of Generations (S9)
16. Survivor: Saint Lucia - Blood vs. Water (S11)
17. Survivor: India (S5)
18. Survivor: Bali - Hosts vs. Almosts (S20)
19. Survivor: Indonesia - Exile Island (S14)
20. Survivor: Estonia - Unfinished Business (S37)
21. Survivor: Philippines - All-Stars II (S31)
22. Survivor: Mozambique (S24)
23. Survivor: Norway (S48)
24. Survivor: Jamaica (S26)
25. Survivor Singapore - All Winners (S40)
26. Survivor: Vanuatu - Viewer's Choice (S32)
27. Survivor: Hawaii (S1)
28. Survivor: Iceland (S2)
29: Survivor: Mongolia (S28)
30. Survivor: Greece (S21)
31. Survivor: Madagascar - Fans vs. Failures (S36)
32. Survivor: The Canadian Wilderness (S17)
33. Survivor: Paraguay (S27)
34: Survivor: Nigeria (S22)
35. Survivor: Thailand (S10)
36. Survivor: Cyprus - Dynamic Duos (S47)
37. Survivor: Suriname (S44)
38. Survivor: Azores (S42)
39. Survivor: Kadavu (S49)
40. Survivor: Sri Lanka (S12)
41. Survivor: Myanmar (S7)
42. Survivor: Palau (S8)
43. Survivor: Nicaragua (S29)
44. Survivor: Peru (S16)
45. Survivor: Jordan (S4)
46. Survivor: Israel (S38)
47. Survivor: Comoros (S25)
48. Survivor: South Africa (S30)
49. Survivor: Vietnam (S35)
24. Survivor Jamaica (S26)
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Survivor Jamaica is historic as it was first the revival of the series itself after a miserable time in the Comoros Islands. Second, this season holds historic significance as Natasha (Blondelle) is the first and only individual to play a perfect game in the series. It really was a breath of fresh air to the series despite the medical evacuation and a quit that took place later in the season. I'd say the game was relatively active as we saw a mix of new and returning players who essentially got another chance to build upon their legacies. However, the trio of Natasha ( Blondelle), Leah ( PeachessnCream), and Logan ( lhooper902976) really ran it and provided a false perception Erik (YoundAndReckless) was seemingly in the driver's seat. What holds this season from being higher is the inactivity at the finale after Joel ( JoelW55) wasn't able to attend due to a serious circumstance paving the way for Natasha and Leah to knock out Logan. Also, I won't lie and say it seemed like Leah was helping Natasha win rather than herself from my memory. I did enjoy the premerge and merge seeing Chris ( Chris1080) being the victim of yet another idol play was good television. Good winner! Good season! Just not at the top of the rankings.
23. Survivor Norway (S48)
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I know this season was recent but Norway truly was a ride. I'd say from start to finish the game was intense and maybe it became a bit more predictable at the Finale but it was a ride. The alliance of Jordan ( jman96), Michael ( FairyBoss), Jonathan ( BoysofSummer2005), Eric ( awwsum11), and Skyler ( Sweez) really had a stranglehold of the game. Eric and Skyler particularly ran the middle extremely well throughout this season with Skyler winning and Eric being the victim of an idol play. Idol plays? There were "FOUR" correct idol plays in this season and that made for exciting television. The only thing that I wished was that the majority alliance expressed a bit more personality because it made it super difficult to determine who'd win the season as a lot of people expected Jonathan to take it home at the final four but he lost in the FMC. Outside of that, I enjoyed the "Wrath of the Viking" twist and it was an extremely invested cast. Unfortunately, the only reason why this season doesn't go much higher is that there are just better seasons from my own memory or ones where the game was a bit more multi-faceted and not as cut and dry.
22. Survivor Mozambique (S24)
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Arguably, I would say the most underrated season in BigBen Survivor history. I wouldn't say the votes were as chaotic as in Norway but I loved hosting the season since a lot of people actually gave a shit and we got some amazing characters introduced to the series. For example, Jan ( DarkTyphoon23), Austin ( Webly), Chanel ( TheChanelOberlin), Sam ( BigBrotherFan132), and our very own moderator Brandon ( brandonpinzu) before they went off to better things. The OG Gaza's really ran the game from the start to the finish with Chanel left as the last individual standing and nearly wins the game after being considered inactive to quite the underdog nearly sneaking their way into the final two. Also, I think this was also one of those seasons where viewers are like it's one of these people to win in Austin and Jan who had been playing exceptionally well. Also, Dana ( TotsTrashy) snuck their way onto the season without me knowing pretending to be Kyle ( TwentyOnePilots), and goes on to get second place (Tots will be mentioned quite a lot in the rankings). Great end game in such an underrated season :-)
21. Survivor Philippines - All Stars II (S31)
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Finally, the first of the three designated "All-Star" seasons have been introduced into the rankings. Arguably, I think All-Stars II is definitely the worst of the three and it's not even close despite not being a horrible season. In theory, the format was sound of the tribes being divided into four tribes of five with occasional swaps in the mix. Watermelondrea ( TheEclipse) gets brutally idoled out by Brandon ( brandonrichie) as he tries to develop his cult and we also Eoin ( Eoin) vote himself out of a season yet again (at least to my memory). The merge was entertaining as a big move at the final ten to eliminate Qaz ( Qazwdxedc) really opened the game despite having been closely aligned with the flippers in Kolby ( ThePug) and Tyler ( UnicornChicken) who go on to be the front-runners of the season. Other stuff, I also loved having two strong female players in Clair ( haycsclair) and Natasha ( Blondelle) despite not remembering if they were on the same side the entire season or sworn enemies. The downside of this was it felt everyone started playing after the last swap and I won't lie but there was at least one individual that I'd like to get a do-over for and not cast :x Good season and decent winner! But, it's not worthy of being in my personal top twenty!
20. Survivor Estonia - Unfinished Business (S37)
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I think if there was a season on Paramount+ that you'd say "wait a minute, give it a chance" it would be Survivor Estonia. The concept really opened the door to individuals who had only played once in the BigBen Survivor franchise during the second generation (essentially a second chances season). At first glance, you look at the premerge and you're like why do I need to watch this season it seems like a historically bad flop of the game. It was because the merge was extremely electric that brought the game back to relevancy. We got idol plays, blindsided, an unexpected final two, and most importantly a storyline. Jojo ( jojo7784) had to win individual immunity from the final seven onwards to be where they were sitting, LeQuisha ( LusciousLips5) was arguably the best player in the season, and the troll Tina ( purplebb4) was the underdog and yet nearly sneaks their way to the end. Not to mention, Jordan ( jman96) who nobody really thought could win the game arguably had a great final tribal council and nearly came away with the win. I have nothing bad to say about the merge but the premerge holds this season back from being a top fifteen season along with Ashanti ( KingGeek) not making it further (always will say this)!
Current Rankings
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20. Survivor: Estonia - Unfinished Business (S37)
21. Survivor: Philippines - All-Stars II (S31)
22. Survivor: Mozambique (S24)
23. Survivor: Norway (S48)
24. Survivor: Jamaica (S26)
25. Survivor Singapore - All Winners (S40)
26. Survivor: Vanuatu - Viewer's Choice (S32)
27. Survivor: Hawaii (S1)
28. Survivor: Iceland (S2)
29: Survivor: Mongolia (S28)
30. Survivor: Greece (S21)
31. Survivor: Madagascar - Fans vs. Failures (S36)
32. Survivor: The Canadian Wilderness (S17)
33. Survivor: Paraguay (S27)
34: Survivor: Nigeria (S22)
35. Survivor: Thailand (S10)
36. Survivor: Cyprus - Dynamic Duos (S47)
37. Survivor: Suriname (S44)
38. Survivor: Azores (S42)
39. Survivor: Kadavu (S49)
40. Survivor: Sri Lanka (S12)
41. Survivor: Myanmar (S7)
42. Survivor: Palau (S8)
43. Survivor: Nicaragua (S29)
44. Survivor: Peru (S16)
45. Survivor: Jordan (S4)
46. Survivor: Israel (S38)
47. Survivor: Comoros (S25)
48. Survivor: South Africa (S30)
49. Survivor: Vietnam (S35)
29. Survivor Mongolia (S28)
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Survivor Mongolia was a double-edged sword. I really enjoyed the cast but the boots were heartbreaking at times seeing old-school players getting booted early after wanting them to apply for many years like Stephen ( SimvivoRWay) and Josh ( sergeant). However, the real drivers of the season were the fan favorites ( OhNatalie) the self-proclaimed "Viewer's Player", JB ( _JB_), Clair ( haycsclair), and James ( J2999). I think it's safe to say that JB and Clair ran a decent amount of the season together with the perception Clair was probably the leader between the two. However, in a final turn of events, JB cuts Clair in a cutthroat fashion which arguably was the correct move but still nearly loses the game. This was a good season, but it's sort of like getting a meal at McDonald's; essentially, the price matches the food you're receiving.
28. Survivor Iceland (S2)
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The Survivor Iceland cast and this might sound repetitive will still go down as one of my favorites. I can easily list names that were impactful to the season like Rhys ( AndThenThereWasOne), Juice ( JuiceBxx), Luis ( _Adidas_), Tony ( tonyiptony), and Juniper ( NewNightmare7). Juice was easily the breakout star looking back as he really just was an amazing character for someone who was a white level and managed to get as far as he did (surpassed my expectations). Luis & Juniper were a killer duo and extremely villainous wanting to make big moves to advance themselves in the endgame and Tony was just the guy who kept on winning challenges and was generally well-liked (I really wish he played again). The downside of this season is that I don't think everyone was playing at full speed like Rhys it felt like he was playing the game with both hands behind his back and still slid into a near-perfect game. I do think this season is ranked higher if Luis wins just being the core of the strategy but Rhys is still a solid winner as you've gotta be doing something right with his threat level. The other down sides were the premerge was a flop but this season will hold historical significance as one of the cleaner logos of the series.
27. Survivor Hawaii (S1)
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The first season of the series finally works its way into the rankings. Is this season considered too high or too low will be the debate. Hawaii was great as it provided the building blocks to the series such as players like Cole ( Cole91), Daniel ( DanielzSnooz), Eric ( awwsum11), Scott ( byp123), Connor ( cjuddy), Chris ( IRandomal123), and lastly the great premerge flop ( noah_kondon) who gets his Internet taken away in a later season. A majority of these players would return to future seasons and either would go on to win or eventually make a final tribal appearance. How did this season need to play out? I truly believe if Daniel had won the season then this season is easily in the Top 20 but with Cole winning after being inactive a majority of the game it does damper the ranking. Outside of that, I really enjoyed going "Back to the Basics" twist as people tried to work the best with the situations in front of them not looking at outside variables. Hawaii will always hold a place in my heart and this was one of the tougher seasons to rank.
26. Survivor Vanuatu - Viewer's Choice (S32)
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Again, I think this is another season that is sort of a blur just because there were multiple individual parts functioning throughout this season. For example, the main twist was Occultus Island where individuals after they were voted out would fight for a chance to return to the game in a strategic form of redemption island. I also recall that it was a three-returnee-based season and consisted of Brittany ( LaFierceBrittany2), Josh ( sergeant), and Mark ( piesyumyyumypies) for the memes. None of them went on to do well besides Brittany but even that was a meme. Matt (mbarnish1) and Nolan (mysterygame2) rentered the game and proved to be vital swing votes till Matt decided to go inactive. I don't have the jury questioning forum either since it was done over Skype eons ago but Anthony ( iYBF) was a winner who stayed in front of the pack while AJ (@JetsRocks12) struggled early due to his tribe losing multiple challenges yet surviving. Robby ( Robbyjak) also fell short yet again and seemed like a legitimate threat to Anthony along with Ryan (#Iceey). There isn't really a true con to this season as there were time-expiration idols but maybe a bit too gamebotty to my liking with Barbra (#BarbraStreisand) took too much of the air.
25. Survivor Singapore - All Winners (S40)
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Disclaimer, I don't remember All Winners extremely well so anyone who feels offended in this overview please note this is a season that I didn't want to remember. Hence, that is why the series has reached Season 50 as opposed to Season 40, which essentially is a "do-over" of all-winners. However, on a more positive note, this cast on paper was a dream managing to get twenty-four winners across to participate. In that light, this season will hold a place in my heart just for the iconicness of the cast. The gameplay I don't recall much of the premerge but remember Eoin ( Eoin) self-voting out along with other winners not being particularly active like Joel ( JoelW55) and Kolby ( ThePug). Also, Ray ( GentlemanG) the only two-time winner was booted essentially first since Cole (Cole91) got fired from Olive Garden the night before and had to leave the game. Outside of that, the merge seemed really was intense with lines being drawn between Gaia/Will/Jacob/Eric/Dylan/Lexie vs. Newz/Jojo/Mike/David/Sydney (I think). What hurts for sure are the quits of Dylan & Lexie as the end game could've been a lot more exciting and Sydney choosing not to be at the finale. I truly believe if Stoner (Gaiaphagee) had gone on to win the season this series is likely over and we don't have a S50. Austin ( Webly) was also robbed and I blame Newz ( OldNewz) for whatever reason. Never letting anyone vote on twists ever again for a final season :x
Current Rankings
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25. Survivor Singapore - All Winners (S40)
26. Survivor: Vanuatu - Viewer's Choice (S32)
27. Survivor: Hawaii (S1)
28. Survivor: Iceland (S2)
29: Survivor: Mongolia (S28)
30. Survivor: Greece (S21)
31. Survivor: Madagascar - Fans vs. Failures (S36)
32. Survivor: The Canadian Wilderness (S17)
33. Survivor: Paraguay (S27)
34: Survivor: Nigeria (S22)
35. Survivor: Thailand (S10)
36. Survivor: Cyprus - Dynamic Duos (S47)
37. Survivor: Suriname (S44)
38. Survivor: Azores (S42)
39. Survivor: Kadavu (S49)
40. Survivor: Sri Lanka (S12)
41. Survivor: Myanmar (S7)
42. Survivor: Palau (S8)
43. Survivor: Nicaragua (S29)
44. Survivor: Peru (S16)
45. Survivor: Jordan (S4)
46. Survivor: Israel (S38)
47. Survivor: Comoros (S25)
48. Survivor: South Africa (S30)
49. Survivor: Vietnam (S35)
